Heath Road crater, close to the junction with R660 (Holycross Road), west of JYSK. Pic: G. Willoughby.
People travelling out to the townsland of the Heath, west of Thurles Town are being asked to take great care due to the existence of a 12.75cm(5in) deep expanding crater situated in the centre of the narrow roadway. Same crater, resembling a giant footprint, is located west of JYSK, close to the junction leading to the Heath townsland at the junction with the R660(Holycross Road). See image above.
Meanwhile, while we are on the topic of roads; do also take care when travelling on the Slievenamon Road, (N62), travelling south from Liberty Square town centre, which has been allowed to fall into an unforgivable, similar state of disrepair over past months.
Parnell Car Park, bottle and drink-can recycling containers are allowed to overflow unto new carpark.
Meanwhile, packed tight bottle and can banks in Parnell Car Park have been allowed once again to overflow unto the surrounding new car park area. People today are now using one of the aluminium can recycling containers to dispose of glass. See image above.
Once again, nothing whatsoever gained from our compulsory residential property tax.
Provisional road collision figures, in the Irish Republic, show that the number of road deaths in 2022 increased by 13% compared to 2021.
2022 saw the doubling of pedestrian deaths.
Drivers account for 39% of fatalities.
Counties Cork (13), Dublin (13) and Limerick (10) recorded highest number of fatalities with Co. Tipperary (7), featuring in joint 8th position.
1,292 people seriously injured.
Almost 1 in 5 drivers and passengers killed were found not to have been wearing a seatbelt.
Road Deaths Per County
Road User.
2021
2022
Difference
Drivers.
70
60
-10
Passengers.
18
22
+4
Motorcyclists.
22
23
+1
Cyclists.
7
7
0
Pedestrians.
20
41
+21
E-Scooter Driver/Passenger.
0
1
+1
Other.
0
1
+1
Total.
137
155
+18
According to the Irish Road Safety Authority; a total of 155 people died in 149 fatal road collisions in 2022, compared to 137 deaths in 124 fatal road collisions in 2021. This represents an increase of 18 deaths or a 13% rise in road fatalities compared to last year.
[The figures were published by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) today Sunday, January 1st 2023, following an analysis of provisional fatal collision reports from An Garda Síochána.]
The figures also indicate that the number of pedestrians killed in 2022 (41, +21) doubled, when compared to 2021. Despite a decrease in the number of drivers killed (60, -10), drivers still accounted for the highest proportion of fatalities at 39%. The number of passenger fatalities increased (22, +4) a 22% increase. A total of 7 cyclists were killed in 2022, the same number as 2021.
Provisional figures for serious injuries indicate that 1,292 serious injuries were recorded up to the 29 December 2022, compared to 1,342 up to the same period in 2021.
Where it was possible to establish the use of a seatbelt or not among drivers and passengers killed, a total of 19% were found not to have been wearing a seatbelt.
Road crater at Lognafulla, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. Pic: G.Willoughby.
The many persons driving, travelling from the west side of Thurles, and having visited St. Patrick’s cemetery on Moyne Road east of Thurles, same on the return journey are being advised to take great care. A large deep crater exists outside the Mace Supermarket at No. 10 Mitchel St, Lognafulla, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. A partially submerged plastic bollard may currently mark the spot. [See picture immediately above.]
Meanwhile; on the Dublin Road, travelling west, at Wrensborough, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, east of Ronayne’s Homevalue Store; an even larger crater currently exists. Pedestrians using the footpaths at both of these locations are being asked to take care to avoid flying stones and airborne mucky water. Stupid attempts to fill these identified water-filled craters, using cold tarmac, are obvious, as shown in the attached pictures. [See pictures immediately above.]
Failure to provide proper public lighting in the area of Thurles Shopping Centre. Pic: G.Willoughby.
Take care also, both motorists and pedestrians; in the area of the raised roundabout, outside Thurles Shopping, Centre, situated on Slievenamon Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, (N62) on the south side of the town, the public lighting in this area has not worked for many months. While much of the Thurles public lighting system has remained burning 24 hours each day over many previous months, the failure to ensure that a public lighting exists on this N62 section, which boasts 2 marked, but unlit and uncontrolled pedestrian crossings, now demonstrates a total lack of care by officials and Councillors, employed at the Thurles Municipal District Offices. Christmas Eve saw dangerous interaction taking place between blinded motorists and large numbers of rushing pedestrians, in this new Thurles town centre area, at Slievenamon Road. [See picture with burned out light fixture, inset, immediately above.]
Efforts by Tipperary Co. Council engineers, same intended to slow traffic, while increasing pedestrian safety in Thurles, are proving costly for local taxpayers.
Photographs hereunder, taken today, show lights on two busy pedestrian crossings, situated on Parnell Street (comprising an area of the N62 & R498), totally eradicated; one outside Thurles Credit Union offices and the other just below the main entrance to Semple Stadium, at the busy junction of Bohernanave.
The directional signage for the village of has also been adjusted. Same image can be viewed on Slievenamon Road (N62) at the junction with Thomond Road and Fianna Road.
Of course all of this destruction is being caused by high sided vehicles forced to mount footpaths, while attempting to pass each other on strips of roadway not fit for purpose. All of these issues are being caused by poor, below standard, planning within Tipperary Co. Council’s engineering department.
Further evidence of this poor engineering ability can be viewed HERE and HERE and HERE and HEREetc. etc.
We wonder are road engineers graduating too soon from colleges, with little or no real project work being undertaken? Perhaps the problem is more the fact that lecturers engaged in giving such training, themselves lack on-the-job experience.
Meanwhile, 25 years later, after Thurles Council’s first submission for a town road bypass; local, elected representatives have failed dismally to obtain funding for a bypass for Thurles town, and now we hear same issue may be included as part of the 2040 National Development Plan.
With two elected TD’s living in the town, (one of whom, Fianna Fáil’s Mr Jackie Cahill, latter who claims to have “the ear of Micheál Martin”), now twenty five years later, Thurles is viewed as the “poor relation” of other towns in the county; as continued waste of taxpayer’s money, by Tipperary Co. Council, continues unabated, while our Local Property Taxes (LPT) increase.
Tipperary Roads Policing Unit while conducting a speed checkpoint, along the M8(Motorway) over the past number of days, detected a vehicle speeding.
The driver subsequently failed the new roadside “DrugWipe 6 S test, which indicted the presence of cannabis.
A passenger in the vehicle also was found to be in possession of cannabis. The cannabis was confiscated and the driver was arrested on suspicion of Drug Driving.
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